Roles and Responsibilities in the Lifelong Learning Sector

1.1 Roles, responsibilities and boundaries of role in relation to teaching

Roles of the teacher in the lifelong learning sector
My role of as teacher in Further Education (F.E.) is changing and complex, contributing as it does to the personal and social development of students as well as their academic abilities.

The Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK:2007) standards, highlight the complexity of the role of the FE teacher as follows “....teachers have a responsibility for ensuring high standards of teaching and learning, as well as contributing to curriculum development and to the development of their subject knowledge” (http://home.freeuk.com).

The standards are backed by research undertaken by LLUK and indicate that teachers in the sector undertake the same activities in relation to the teaching cycle as those in a full time compulsory education role. These are stated as being:

As a result of this teachers in the FE sector need to be properly trained and develop and update their skills regularly to respond to changing needs. In September 2007 new government regulations stated “...all new entrants to further education teaching will be expected to be working toward the new award of Qualified Teaching Learning and Skills (QTLS)” (www.bis.gov.uk) this regulation reformed the training, qualifications and development of teachers in the FE sector. The reforms included changes to continued professional development (CPD), and had an impact on all those delivering learning within the FE sector. The reforms were statutory for FE colleges. This meant that teachers would not only be experts in their fields but also qualified within the teaching environment. This responsibility for CPD and qualification lies with the teacher. These regulations have meant that not only have I up skilled myself within the football and sports areas but I am now paying...